ph_logs | [OPEN] Just when I think I'm gonna get away

[OPEN] Just when I think I'm gonna get away

Who: Sorceress (

bedknobsandbroomsticks) & anyone
What: Sorceress familiarizes herself with Pumpkin Hollow
When: May Catch-All
Where: Around town
Warning(s): Shippy feelings between Sorc/Wiz

[Around the Town - OTA]

[Dealing with death was one thing. She'd died a few times during her adventures back in Hydeland. Waking up revived in the chapel was sort of the norm. Waking up somewhere else and to someone other than the Priest was... a bit shocking, to say the least. Sorceress, of course, listened to the explanation, holding on to every word about her current situation.

It sounds similar to what she had just been through in Hydeland. Perhaps... it was what the Goddesses wanted of her now? But where was this place?

Honestly, the biggest disappointment was she didn't have her outfit and staff. The latter would make for channeling magic a tad difficult. Something she'd worry about later. In the mean time, the necromancer spends her time (after getting an outfit or two) studying the town of Pumpkin Hollow. Its history, what she can learn about the townfolks, the mythology of the Goddesses, (what an interesting little coincidence~), the various organizations.

She generally keeps to herself though, lurking around the different Temples, the Greymare Library, and the Oak and Iron.

Or, alternatively, Sorceress can be found near the outskirts of town, near the Fall's Promise Cemetery, inspecting various large sticks to try and craft herself a new staff.]

[I hear those words that you always say - Locked to substitutiarylocomotion]

[It was strange to be without the rest of the Company. Fighter, Elf, Amazon, Dwarf... why, even Wizard. The stupid, pig-headed, overly confident, handsome... Er, that was beside the point.

One evening at the Oak and Iron, after a day spent mostly at the library, the magic caster grabbed herself some food with a tired sigh and sat down...

Only to find herself staring at a very familiar face across a few of the tables. All she can do is gawk in disbelief. There's... There's no way. It can't be. Were they still in Hydeland somehow? Or was all of the rest of the company sent here as well? Gods, this only created more questions rather than answering any of the hundreds of ones she still hasn't been able to figure out. Maybe it wasn't who she thought it was.

There was only one way to find out.]

... Sylus?

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She's not alone. There's an old man in the graveyard, going for a stroll. He's got a staff already- well, it's more of a cane, actually, but it's a very nice cane. If he's noticed her, he hasn't given any indication of it. He seems to be muttering to himself about something.

"Really, I don't see the point of it... nothing to bury, you're not even remotely... not that you need a reason to take the dirt out of the ground and then just fill the hole back up again with the same dirt, but you're being... and that's coming from me!"

[A very tall man with long silver hair is also near the cemetery. Seeing her, he goes over curiously.]

Hello.

[He wonders what she wants the wood for. It’s getting a bit warm for firewood, and the sticks look too thin around to be supposed to be that.]

Are you new in town?

[As part of the local law enforcement, he tries to keep track of newcomers. But there’s always so many, he doesn’t always catch them all when they first arrive.]

It's hard not to notice another presence in such a place when the dead has been that way for centuries here. The redhead eyes the cane, finding it similar to one of the ones she's used before as a staff.

This place is certainly filled with little coincidences, isn't it?

Normally she'd just let him be but she's been trying to get as much information as possible so...

"It seems it's been here far longer than any of us," she says, just audible enough for the man to hear her as she weighs too large sticks in both hands, seeing which feels better.

[Sorceress perks up at the sound of someone's voice, looking up to see who it belongs to.

She almost does a double take. Long silver-white hair, striking eyes. But they're not the correct color so any tenseness she may have display immediately dissipates.]

I am.

[The redhead returns her attention to the long stick she's holding, humming in thought for a moment.]

I arrived a few days ago now — and you?

I have been here for several months. My name is Sephiroth.

[A name everyone knew back home. It’s been strange to be where not everyone has known him … although not unpleasant. He had never wanted such recognition. By now, however, everyone has likely at least heard of him except for newcomers. The demented opera they were forced to attend laid bare many of his demons in the performance of his past. He’s still not sure what most people think.]

[Ahha. Someone who's been here for some time. Good. Maybe she can pester him with questions later on.]

Sorceress.

[Despite that being her class, she used it as her name most of the time. It just made things easier.]

Has it... been an unpleasant time? I'm not quite sure what to make of this place yet.

[The Wizard was hunched over a book, copying down lines of incantations from his memories onto its thick pages while occasionally taking-in spoonfuls of soup when the Sorceress called-out to him. Initially, both at hearing his name and at the sound of that familiar voice, he simply nodded in a "just a second" kind of way. When comprehension caught up with him, though, he sat bolt upright.

Could he be hearing things? There was no way she was really here... was there? Not even his clothes had managed to follow him into this place, let alone any of his companions, but that voice only belonged to one person and there was certainly nobody else who would call him by his given name. His eyes wide and his heart pounding Wizard stood up in his booth and began to scan the dining area for her.

Panning over the regular patrons his eyes fixed on the unmistakable silhouette and ocean of burgundy hair and his heart leapt. Though he had only been here for a matter of days the time since he'd parted way with his companions had been significant and their absence, particularly her absence, in his life had been keenly felt. Seeing her here brought a well of emotions that had been held back since his arrival roaring to the surface and he fought to hold back tears. If she was here, then he wasn't alone, but if she was here that meant that she had also been cast into the land of the dead.

Inhaling sharply before letting out a deep breath he looked at her with a weak expression and half-whispered.]

"Scarlett?"

[Only a few people call her by her real name — and given the level of intimacy between the two, it was expected at this point.

She'd purposely tried to stop herself from thinking about the fact that she'd been separated from the rest of the company since awakening here. With no one else in sight, Sorceress was certain she was alone. But there sat the Wizard, looking (mostly) the same as always although the expression is a tad... odd. Not something she'd seen before on his face.

She gets up from her table, grabbing her plate of food in one hand, and makes her way over to her comrade, going to sit next to him rather than across.

As much as her pride hates it, she is happy he's here. The redhead would never say it outloud but she found herself desperately missing his company. In more ways than one.

She purses her lips, arms on her hips now that she's not carrying anything, and gives him a look over, trying to ignore that unfamiliar expression of Wizard's face.]

When did you get here?

[It really was her. The arcane implications as to all them both ending up in this strange place after the Goddesses were restored were tremendous, doubly so with all the other exotic mixtures of people that seemed to be brought here as well, but those thoughts couldn't be further from his mind.

He had been awash in contemplation for days now, pondering the state the hamlet and the requirements needed to earn his passage back the living, and the magnitude of uncertainty had him drowning. He was a man of science after all, with a carefully-researched answer for every question and every problem that life might throw his way. People relied on him to be like that but, now, he'd found himself utterly cut off from everything he'd learned and everyone he knew. Even his grimoire, the culmination of his life's work, had been stripped from him and he now scrambled to commit what fragments of spells and incantations he could recall before he forgot them for good. Just when things seemed that they would only go from bad to worse, though, she appeared.

Had their reunion come in more familiar territory he would likely have some kind of posturing or taunt to greet his former companion... and lover, but with the tumult of being torn from his sister and thrust into a land under-siege he was simply overcome with relief to see someone that, no matter how much he made airs of despising, he cared for deeply.

As the Sorceress approached he worried he might be in a dream, standing by the table and following her with his eyes like she might vanish into smoke if he dared look away.]

"Um... about a week."

[He shook his head, snapping himself out of the many feelings coursing through him.]

"And you?"

Edited 2025-05-06 22:53 (UTC)

[He nods in polite acknowledgement.]

There are … good and bad things about this place, the same as with other places.

[A week. He's only been here a week while it's been about a year since she last saw him after they'd restored the Goddesses. After becoming bored with entertaining nobles, she'd been out adventuring with some others, not their company, and that's when she met her untimely demise. (The Sorceress made a note to herself earlier not to go exploring without the others from now on. No one was as polished and professional as they were. Sigh.)

... She still isn't sure what to make of this shift in demeanor. He isn't insulting or teasing her. Did he... No. Of course not. Sorceress glances off to the side, her own posture relaxing some.]

Two days ago. I'm surprised we didn't run into one another sooner...

[A pause as she decides to meet his gaze again.]

Have you been able to find out much about this place?

Edited 2025-05-06 23:28 (UTC)

That's good at least. It should make settling... easier, I suppose.

[A few months though and the problem hasn't been solved... The magic caster frowns.]

... May I inquire as to why you're also in the cemetery?

[Gods she was beautiful. Time and distance had done nothing to change that and, with her so close, he could tell that she even smelled good. Whether she'd somehow gotten perfume since coming into town or that was just how she smelled naturally he hadn't the slightest idea, but the fact that not even being pulled into the land of the dead could manage to put a single hair out of place was simultaneously impressive and made him terribly nostalgic.]

"Not much."

[Wizard did a slight shake of his head, trying to collect his thoughts to better focus on what she was asking.]

"The island is much larger than just the city, and there are certainly elements vying for superiority here, but I've not had the time to learn more than the most rudimentary of information about them."

[He gestures to the thick book he'd been writing in before she called his attention.]

"As you can see, much of my time has been spent trying to rebuild my grimoire."

Edited 2025-05-07 00:12 (UTC)

Perhaps. It depends on how well you handle the bad.

I am part of the local law enforcement. I patrol the cemetery from time to time.

[Sorceress studies him for a moment, wondering what's going through his head. It's been such a long time since they were last together. Too long — not that she'd ever say that. He's still... as stupidly handsome as ever.]

I've gathered that much as well. Not that I've had much time to either. I want to go to the library once I've crafted a new staff.

[She lets out a small sigh, shifting her weight to one side as she glances over at the tome.]

I forgot that's how you have to keep track of your spells. That's such a pain... You really should learn to bind your magic to something else.

I'd like to think I'm decent at it.

[Hm. So they have law enforcement. Whether that's good or bad remains to be seen.]

That makes sense.

[She should probably explain herself then...]

I'm out here looking for a good stick to use as a staff, as you can likely see.

[Sorceress juggles the two sticks weight again before deciding on the more gnarly looking one.]

This one will do nicely...

[A small smile spread across his face. There it was. He'd wondered how long it would be until she fired some barb his way. Half of their non horizontal interactions were just exchanges of quips and jabs... actually half of their horizontal interactions went that way too, so it was only a matter of time until she dropped some form of passive aggression on him.

A part of him readied to respond in-kind almost automatically, but the sheer relief of seeing her outweighed the learned behaviors of their past tiffs. Biting his lip to keep from his emotions beating out his stoicism, Sylus steps forward and wraps his arms around her and pulls her close.]

"Let's... let's not do that today..."

I see.

[He nods. This makes sense as well.]

What kinds of magic do you use?

[Oh.

That was... very unexpected. Sorceress lets out a small noise of surprise but in the end doesn't protest, finding comfort in that familiar embrace and placing her hands on his chest.

But this isn't how Wizard normally acts, which has her concerned.]

Sylus...?

[~~Necromancy.~~]

Fire, lightning, and ice, along with transmutation.

Interesting. Do you use the latter only on yourself or on others?

[He can do a bit of that with his Pale Horse attack, but usually chooses not to use it. He himself is immune to that type of magic, which he is pleased about.]

Others, generally. I have an image to keep, you see. Turning bad little children into frogs and what not~

I'm also able to create food if I want though.

Heh. And changing them back, I would hope.

[A smirk. He’s not entirely sure if she’s being serious, so he’ll keep it light too.]

That is certainly a useful ability.

Sometimes.

[It's usually monsters she transmutes so, yes, she's mostly joking.]

It is but I've found trying it here drains me more than it did before... Which is a pity. I wonder... if that's a side effect of this place being a form of the afterlife?

[The feeling of her hands against his chest was a familiarity that was very welcome. He leaned against her head and just enjoyed the feeling of her hair against the lower half of his face.]

"I was resigned to being marooned here alone, stuck alongside the castaways from all these other realms until the day comes that I could finally meet the conditions to come home, but... there's no telling how many centuries that could have been."

[He inhales deeply and and sighs, ensuring not to blow in her face.]

"If I was to be condemned to purgatory, being stranded alongside you is about as pleasant an exile as I could imagine."

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[OPEN] Just when I think I'm gonna get away

About the Town- Fall's Promise

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I hear those words you always say

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